Highwind
by Gazla
Summary: Just a short story this time. I thought it would be a nice way to write off Cid from the FF7 story...Its kinda the way he would wanna go i guess. Plz R&R. This story is complete!
1. The memorial

Highwind

CHAPTER 1 – The memorial

Life is good now. The trees are green, the sun is bright and the sky is blue. Spring is in the air and blossoms are in full bloom as they glide gently on the wings of the wind, landing at the foot of a most peculiar creature.

"Father, the trees are crying!" shouted a small dog like creature. With a swish of his fiery tail, Nanaki (or Red XIII) sat in the cool spring breeze as it refreshingly glowed through is bright red coat. "The tree is not crying" explained Nanaki, "rather it is shedding like we do."

"Why is it shedding father?" asked the little one, "because the planet wants it to" exclaimed Nanaki. His son sat there confused as another small, red creature appeared. The young female creature looked different to a male, it had a shorter tail and a hint of brown. "Father where are we going again?" she asked. Nanaki had risen now, "we're going to the memorial of Cid Highwind". The male cub had to quicken pace as Nanaki began to walk softly over the grassy plains, "Who's Cid Highwind?" he said.

"Well Cid Highwind was an iconic figure of our times as well as a good friend. And the story of his memorial is truly an epic tale".

"Oh father a story can we hear the story"

"Yeh father pleeeeease" asked the cubs.

Nanaki chuckled slightly but continued to walk as he took a breath and began to speak. "It all began 500 years ago…the planet was in crisis and…"the cubs interrupted "but we've heard this story!"

"Yes well let's skip ahead four years…which means this story begins 496 years ago and the planet is a place of relative peace and harmony. Much had been learned from the mistakes of humans over time", Nanaki froze and sat down as he gazed towards the sunset that silhouetted a small stone on the edge of the cliff.

"Here we are…this is where the story begins".


	2. Shera No1

CHAPTER 2 – Shera No. 1

Cid sat in his chair with a cup of tea doing what he spends a lot of his time doing nowadays…staring at a poster of his beloved Shinra No.26 rocket. He had achieved the dream, he had seen the planet in a way no one else had ever seen it, but he wanted more. A pair of pale hands covered his eyes, "Hows my rocket man today" said a female voice behind him.

"Dammit Shera why d'ya have to scare me like that, you know how jumpy I get" squawked Cid. Nothing had changed, Cid still only put one thing at the forefront of his mind and that was his beloved rocket that he heartbreakingly watched as it plunged into the fiery surface of meteor 4 years ago.

He stood up and took a piece of toast that Shera had just finished making. This was obviously a normal thing because Shera did not acknowledge Cid for taking it and neither did Cid acknowledge Shera for making it. He went and sat at a table which was covered with blueprints, notes and pictures.

Shera turned round, stirring her tea and biting bottom lip, "So is everything ready then?" she asked. "Roger that, all that remains is my audience" Cid winked at Shera and Shera walked towards the phone, "I'll ring them". As she left the room, Cid lifted up what seemed to be the blueprints of Shinra No. 26. "It wouldn't be the same without a proper goodbye". On the side of the picture were the words: "Shera No.1" and as he pulled back the curtains, the sunlight was blocked out by a very large rocket.


	3. The Penultimate Day

CHAPTER 3 – The Penultimate Day

Rocket Town was bustling with tourists from all over the world, surfers from Costa del Sol, elders from Cosmo Canyon and even the odd off duty soldier from Junon.

Cid walked into the bright sunny outdoors murmuring "perfect weather" under his breath and Shera close behind as he briskly walked towards the rocket. As Shera busily tapped away at an old calculator, Cid began humming, confident and proud as always. "Ever since we went on vacation to that chocobo farm, you've done nothing but hum that silly waltzing tune" said Shera.

"It steadies my nerves woman!" snapped Cid, who was clearly trying his best to put on a front, hiding his nervousness. With that, Cid and Shera climbed up the ladders and staircases and entered the rocket. Shera No.1 was smaller than the last rocket, for the most part, it looked similar to the Shinra No.26 apart from the good condition it was and lack of rust as opposed to the last one. Cid felt comfortable like this. He figured using the same kind of rocket with the same components and the same structure would be easier and quicker to learn.

Meanwhile over the grassy plains shadowed by the iconic peaks of Mount Nibel, the sound of engines can be heard. It was usual for this time because news had quickly spread about the rocket and this time Cid wanted everyone to know, vehicles were always approaching in every direction which mostly consisted of a taxi route that Cid had set up from Nibelheim to attract more people to Rocket Town. However these vehicles were no taxis', but a van and a motorcycle mounted by a spikey haired, mysterious man. Needless to say, Cloud and the gang were back.

As Cid looked across the horizon from the top of the launch pad, he could see his old friends approaching the town. He smiled and began to descend the many steps.

Cloud Strife had raced ahead to arrive first. "Nice rocket Cid" he said. "Aye she's a beauty aint she" replied Cid. The rest of the gang had now arrived. Everyone was there except Red and Barret was the first to speak. "Now that's a sight I thought I would never see again" he said, looking up at the towering Shera No.1. The rest of the guys greeted Cid as he ushered them into his house.

"Shera! HEY SHER…Oh she's on the rocket, Damn that woman. Ya'll make yourselves comfortable ya hear" bellowed Cid.

"Don't we always" murmured Vincent.

A little while later, Cid stood up and cleared his throat. "Ahem, right guys and gals, I got some news for ya'll".

"Oh goody are we going for a ride?" Said Yuffie.

"Missie, shut your mooth!" shouted Cait Sith. "SHUT UP CAT!" she replied.

"Guys Guys" said Tifa, "Cid is talking now".

"Hmm yeh thanks darling. Well as I was saying, the rocket launch is tomorrow which is why your all here. But one thing you don't know is the context of this whole event."

The group looked at each other, and then back at Cid in confusion. As far as they were aware, Cid was going into space to not only to promote Rocket Town, but as an independent investigation into cosmic materia, of which he believes is more condensed and more powerful than normal material, leading him to the conclusion that it would make a great substitute for mako energy. But it seemed this wasn't the case.

"Well the investigation will take place and I will be transmitting the data back to my people here."

"That's all well and good, but couldn't you just bring the data back yourself…Cid?" asked Tifa.

Cid was silent, as was the rest of the group as he individually looked at each one.

"You're not coming back are you." Cloud said.

Cid bowed his head and stared at the floor, his arms drooping beside him.

"Hey Where's the beast?" he remarked.

"Red? He was busy with something back in Cosmo Canyon. He said he'd be here though" Replied Tifa.

This didn't really seem to bother Cid, what bothered him and the group the most, was that this was the last time that they would all be together because his space mission, was a one way trip.


	4. The end of an adventure

CHAPTER 4 – The end of an adventure

Morning the next day seemed to take forever to arrive. Cid was already at the rocket making some final adjustments with Shera. The gang were at the Inn talking about the situation.

"I still don't understand why he's not coming back" said Yuffie.

"We all have our place. Cid has decided that his place is in space".

As they walked outside, Rocket town was bustling with people everywhere. The gang got ushered to the front by hired security that Cid had also organised, Clearly he wanted nothing to go wrong. Cid appeared from behind a mass of cables and wires and confronted his friends one more time.

"Well this is it". He said, as they all silently nodded. Cloud stepped forward.

"This is the last time we'll all be together" he said, "well…almost everyone".

"I feel that you are referring to me" came a voice from behind them. Red XIII had appeared. The gang smiled and greeted Red as he approached Cid and said: "Now…we are all together one last time". Cid smiled and patted Red on the head before individually bidding farewell to the group.

FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO…ONE…The ground shook and Shera No.1 has left the ground and swiftly lifted up into the blue sky, leaving behind the world as they knew it. In the captains seat, Cid sat as he steered the rocket out of the atmosphere, and next to him, sat his wife…Shera. They both took one look back at the planet and with that Cid looked at Shera.

"Lets explore". He said. Shera smiled and nodded.

As the smoke lifted on the ground, the group looked ahead where the rocket and the one before it, once stood. Now empty space…other than a small rock on a cliff behind it that non of them had noticed…except Red.


	5. A new beginning

CHAPTER 5 - A new beginning

"I like to think that Cid ventured far into the unknown. My grandfather always used to talk about other planets just like this one. Maybe he went there or maybe he went further." Nanaki looked at the rock on the cliff…his two children by his side, mesmerized by his story.

"Father…Did Cid return our planet?" asked the young male cub.

"Of course he did, the lifestream runs in his blood, it runs in everyones blood".

"even if he was on another planet?".

"Yes little one…the planet has him now…the planet has them all".

Red smiled and looked at the inscription on the rock which read: "on this point, on this day of days, we will never forget the memories of our friends – Nanaki of Cosmo Canyon".

Still smiling, Red turned and began to walk away. "Cloud…Aeris, let us go home."

"Yes father" they both replied, and with that, Red and the two cubs set off for home in the glowing light of the sun.

"_What to do? Have you lost your way? When that happens we each have to take a good look at our hearts. There's always something forgotten. Remember it…_

_Whatever that is, must certainly be what you are looking for…"_

_-Bugenhagen, FFVII_


End file.
